Domains & DNS

Your domain is your address on the web, and DNS is the system that connects that address to the right server. It sounds technical, but once you understand a handful of ideas you'll be managing it like a pro. This guide covers registering, transferring and pointing domains, plus the DNS records you'll actually use.

Registering a new domain

To register a fresh domain, open the Domains area of your dashboard and search for the name you'd like. If it's available, add it to your cart, choose how many years to register it for, and check out. We'll set it up automatically and, because it's registered with us, the DNS is already pointed at your hosting — there's nothing else to configure.

Transferring a domain in

If you bought your domain elsewhere and want everything in one place, you can transfer it to HostFilya. Here's how:

1. At your current registrar, unlock the domain and request the authorization (EPP) code.
2. In your HostFilya dashboard, choose Transfer a domain and enter the domain name.
3. Paste in the authorization code and confirm the transfer.
4. Approve the confirmation email we send to the domain's registrant address.

Transfers typically complete within five to seven days — that waiting period is set by the registry, not by us — and they add a year to your registration. Your website and email keep working throughout.

Pointing an existing domain to HostFilya

Maybe you'd rather leave your domain where it is and just point it at your HostFilya hosting. There are two ways to do that, and the difference is simpler than it sounds.

Option A: change the nameservers

Nameservers decide who is in charge of your domain's DNS. If you set your domain's nameservers to the HostFilya ones shown in your dashboard, you hand the whole address book over to us — and we manage every record for you automatically. This is the easiest option and the one we recommend for most people.

Option B: change the A record

If you want to keep managing DNS at your current provider, you can instead leave the nameservers alone and just update the A record to point at your HostFilya server's IP address. This points only your website to us while DNS stays under your existing control. It's handy if other services rely on records you'd rather not move.

Tip: when in doubt, change the nameservers. It's the "set it and forget it" choice — we keep your records correct so you don't have to think about them.

Common DNS record types, in plain English

DNS records are just entries in your domain's address book. These are the four you'll meet most often:

• A record — points your domain to a server's numeric IP address. This is what sends visitors to your website.
• CNAME record — points one name at another name (an alias). Often used so www.yoursite.com follows yoursite.com.
• MX record — tells the world which mail server handles email for your domain. Get this wrong and email stops arriving.
• TXT record — holds plain text used for verification and email security, such as SPF and DKIM records that help your mail avoid the spam folder.

Managing DNS in your dashboard

When your domain uses our nameservers, you'll find a friendly DNS editor in the dashboard. Each record sits on its own row showing its type, name, value and TTL (how long it's cached). To add a record, click Add record, choose the type, fill in the value and save. To change one, edit the row and save again. There's no need to touch a config file — it's all point and click.

How long does DNS propagation take?

When you change a DNS record, the update has to spread to servers all over the world — this is called propagation. Most changes take effect within an hour, but because some networks cache records for longer, a change can take up to 24–48 hours to be visible everywhere. If your new site or record isn't showing yet, give it a little time before assuming something's wrong.

WHOIS privacy

When you register a domain, your contact details are recorded in the public WHOIS database. WHOIS privacy replaces your personal name, address, email and phone number with privacy-protected details, shielding you from spam and unwanted contact. We include it free on eligible domains, and you can toggle it from the domain's settings at any time.

Troubleshooting

If something isn't behaving, run through this quick list before reaching out:

• Site not loading after pointing the domain? Give propagation up to 48 hours, then double-check the A record or nameservers match what's shown in your dashboard.
• Email stopped working? Confirm your MX records are correct — see our Email Setup guide.
• Only the www version (or only the bare domain) works? Make sure you have both an A record for the root and a CNAME for www.
• Changes not showing on your device? Clear your browser cache or try a different network — your computer may still be caching the old record.

Still stuck? Our team can look at your records with you any time, day or night.